Film & Tv have so much more to compete with these days than they did 20 years ago, and as every year goes by the competition gets tougher. The internet is the biggest opponent offering a truly active experience while crossing over into film & tv, with ease and with immediate access. Audience appetites for active participation are insatiable.
Audience viewing tendencies, Audience theory, are summarized in most cases as either passive or active. Although the trend now is that audiences are becoming more and more active with film & tv viewing, we sometimes have to become more conscious about it to do it properly.
So here is the tip! Become an active audience. When you are watching film and tv, really watch! Study the environment, the dialogue, the human psychology, the sociological significance of the characters depicted their motives and their actions. Question and compare the choices and responses of the characters to your own and people you know. Observe it all, clothing choices, time of day, music, graphics and editing. Watch all types and genres, and don’t just watch, but SEE everything.
This will expand your vocabulary and knowledge of film and tv both as a viewer and as a creator in ways that will surprise you. At times don’t you wish you were THAT character…hmmm…now why would you think in this way? … you see you are already on your way of being an active audience after all…
J.I – Acting Head
